Derrick Johnson

The countdown to the Patrick Mahomes II era in Kansas City began the moment the Chiefs traded up to select the strong-armed quarterback in the first round of last year's draft.

Officially, it is down to about six weeks.

Practically, it has already reached zero.

The Chiefs agreed to trade veteran quarterback Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins late Monday, a deal that will become official with the start of the new league year on March 14. In doing so, the Chiefs made a bold statement that they're ready for Mahomes, a prolific passer during his college days at Texas Tech, to assume the starting job for the foreseeable future.

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Officially, it is down to about six weeks.
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